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When disasters strike-whether floods, wars, epidemics, or accidents-the damage often goes beyond what we can see. Beyond broken homes and disrupted livelihoods lie broken hearts, silent grief, and unseen trauma. During the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, the World Health Organization reported a 25% global rise in anxiety and depression in just one year. This shows that when crises happen, mental health suffers deeply too.

Yet, the emotional toll of emergencies often goes unnoticed. These events tear families apart, heighten fear, and shake people’s sense of safety and stability. That is why this year’s World Mental Health Day theme, ‘Access to Services: Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies,’ could not have come at a better time. It reminds us that mental health support is not something we wait for calm times to provide; it is a necessity even in chaos.

However, access to mental health care remains a privilege for many, especially in developing nations. Take Nigeria, for instance. With a population of over 200 million people, there are fewer than 1,000 mental health professionals in the entire country. This means millions are left without help, and during emergencies, the gap widens even more.

In times of crisis, already fragile health systems struggle to cope. Clinics close, health workers are displaced, and people who urgently need psychological support are often left to face their pain alone. Meanwhile, humanitarian responses, though well-intentioned, are frequently uncoordinated, and many responders lack the training to provide emotional or psychological first aid. As a result, countless individuals remain unsupported during their most vulnerable moments.

At Mental Drive Africa (MDA), we have seen this reality up close. Through our school programs, community outreaches, and wellness initiatives, we have learned that access begins with integration. Mental health must be treated as a vital part of overall health and emergency response, not as an afterthought. When mental health care is included within primary healthcare systems, people can seek help in the same places they receive physical care-without shame or delay.

In addition, community-based care is key. When disasters happen, it is the community that responds first. By training local health workers, teachers, and volunteers in basic psychological first aid, we make help more immediate, trusted, and accessible. Community-led initiatives, like MDA’s Exhale Community, show how peer support and safe conversations can help people heal, grow, and regain resilience even in the toughest times.

Moreover, investing in capacity building remains one of the most sustainable ways to strengthen access. When frontline workers and everyday citizens are equipped to recognize signs of distress and offer support, the ripple effect is powerful. Healing becomes a shared responsibility, and communities are empowered to help themselves.

Preparedness also plays a critical role. Including mental health in emergency response plans ensures no one is left behind. This could mean setting up mobile clinics, ensuring access to medication, creating emergency helplines, or embedding mental health professionals within rapid response teams. These measures help communities recover not just physically, but emotionally too.

Of course, no sustainable change can happen without strong policies and proper funding. Unfortunately, mental health often receives less than 2% of health budgets in many countries, leaving services underfunded and out of reach. Governments, organizations, and donors must begin to treat mental health with the same urgency as physical health. Investing in prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation saves lives and strengthens the overall resilience of societies.

And now, more than ever, technology is helping bridge the gap. Digital tools like teletherapy, mobile apps, and online counseling platforms have made it possible for people to receive help even in areas where stigma, distance, or limited professionals once stood in the way. When combined with community outreach, these innovations create safe and flexible ways for people to seek support wherever they are.

As the world marks World Mental Health Day, we at Mental Drive Africa echo the global call for stronger access to mental health care, especially in times of crisis. Every person deserves a chance to heal, to be heard, and to find hope again-no matter what storms they face.

Through our ongoing programs, from mental health education in schools to market outreaches and community-based therapy support, we are committed to bringing wellness closer to the people who need it most. But we cannot do it alone. We call on governments, organizations, and individuals to join hands in building systems that prioritize mental well-being in every emergency response.

Because mental health is not a privilege.

It is a right-for everyone, everywhere, and even in the most catastrophic times.

This year’s World Teacher’s Day offered stakeholders in the education sector in Nigeria an opportunity to reflect on the state of one of the most critical professions for the development of any society as well as proffer suggestions to address the challenges confronting this category of workers. Teacher’s Day is commemorated annually on October 5.

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) seized the occasion to draw attention to the chronic deficit of teachers at the basic education level relative to the number of children at this foundational stage of learning.

The union attributed the severe shortage in the requisite number of teachers to deliver qualitative education, which it estimates at 194,876 personnel, to poor welfare, unattractive working conditions, weak motivation and low status.

Decrying what it described as the alarming crisis of manpower in primary and secondary schools nationwide, the NUT stressed the need to decisively tackle this problem as a necessary condition for ‘Recasting Teaching as a Collaborative Profession’, which is the theme of the 2025 commemoration.

A consideration of the teacher-to-pupil ratio at the primary school level offers a graphic insight into the seriousness of the scarcity of qualified teachers at the basic level in Nigeria. While data for 2021 from the World Bank indicate that there were 30.4 million primary school pupils in the country, the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) estimated that there were over 45 million children in primary schools as at 2023.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) estimates that there are at least 10.5 million children between the ages of five and 14 out of school, with the northern states being the worst affected in this regard.

To cater for an estimated population of 31.7 million primary school pupils, there are approximately 915,913 teachers bringing the primary school teacher-to- pupil ratio to about 1:35. However, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recommends a ratio of 1:25 teachers to pupils at the primary school level for effective learning.

In reality, experts believe that many classrooms are overcrowded with actual ratios in significant numbers of areas going beyond 1:70 teacher-pupil proportions. It is thus obvious, for instance, that without considerably increasing the number of qualified teachers, it will be impossible to address the conundrum of out-of-school children which is a critical impediment to literacy levels in Nigeria.

It has become imperative for decisive steps to be taken to make teaching more attractive as a profession through competitive and fulfilling salary structures, as well as complementary supportive welfare packages.

This is particularly important in order to motivate the best brains to teach at the basic level where it is necessary to lay a firm, qualitative foundation for young minds to be built on at higher stages of the education hierarchy.

The immediate past administration of President Muhammadu Buhari had in 2020 announced such initiatives as a special salary scale for teachers in basic and secondary schools, harmonised retirement age of 65 years and 49 years of service for teachers, reintroduction of bursary awards for students studying education in higher institutions and provision of loan facilities for agriculture, housing, cars, motorcycles, among others, to augment teachers’ income.

Unfortunately, most of these incentives have reportedly not been implemented, thus necessitating the urgent intervention of the current administrations at all levels to ensure their actualisation.

The near tripling of revenue earnings by the three tiers of government as a result of the economic reform policies of the President Bola Tinubu administration should be utilised to decisively improve the welfare and motivation of teachers, enhance the quality of manpower, bridge the deficit of personnel at the basic level of the country’s educational system and frontally tackle the challenge of out-of-school children.

We also urge the education authorities to heed the plea by the NUT for a reversal of the decision to remove the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) from benefitting from budgetary allocation. The TRCN is critical to the quality and performance of the teaching profession.

The Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) has signed Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) totaling about 500 megawatts, which are currently awaiting regulatory approval. Once approved, these agreements are expected to significantly boost NDPHC’s performance and revenue base.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NDPHC, Jennifer Adighije, an engineer, said with liquidity issues easing, the company is stepping up reinvestment, particularly in the transmission subsector.

Adighije made this know while speaking on the sidelines yesterday at an annual energy conference organized by the National Association of Energy Correspondents of Nigeria (NAEC) in Lagos, with the theme Nigeria’s Energy Future: ‘Exploring Opportunities and Addressing Risks for Sustainable Growth.’

According to her ongoing projects are expected to strengthen Nigeria’s power transmission network and ensure that the country’s generation capacity – which currently exceeds available transmission infrastructure – can be more effectively utilised.

‘Our investments will help deliver reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity to consumers, including those at the last mile,’ she stated.

She further highlighted progress on the Agbara Industrial Cluster Project, describing it as one of its most promising initiatives. The project, part of NDPHC’s commercialisation drive, is aimed at unlocking industrial power opportunities through new infrastructure investments and customer connections.

‘We’ve received preliminary clearance to begin execution, and several customers have already expressed strong interest,’ the Managing Director revealed.

Beyond Agbara, Adighije said the company is extending similar initiatives to industrial clusters across the country, including Kano, Challawa, and Dawanu in the North.

Speaking on recent developments, Adighije noted that the ongoing transition to bilateral electricity trading is already creating new and exciting opportunities within the market.

‘We are leveraging these opportunities to innovate, collaborate strategically, and operate at levels we’ve never reached before,’ she said.

NDPHC also welcomed the decentralisation and liberalisation introduced by the new Electricity Act 2023, which empowers states to participate directly across the power value chain.

Adighije said: ‘We are open to strategic partnerships with states ready to collaborate,’ citing Ondo State as one of those already engaging with the company through its State Electricity Bureau.

According to the Managing Director, these partnerships are crucial to unlocking new value and accelerating power sector growth nationwide.

She commended President Bola Tinubu, Minister for Power and other key stakeholders for driving policy and regulatory reforms that are repositioning Nigeria’s power sector for growth.

The Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Abdullahi Yusuf Atah, has said there is no vacancy in the home of the President, Aso Rock Villa in Abuja, until 2031.

Atah said the Presidential Villa will still be occupied in 2027 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The minister was reacting to what he called a pernicious campaign of outright distortion, falsehood and malice, sponsored by those who lost out in the political machinations surrounding the last general election.

In a statement yesterday in Abuja by his media aide, Seyi Olorunsola, the minister refuted the narrative by ‘some elements, particularly from the APC, PDP, and Labour Party (LP),’ that the North’s population opposed President Tinubu’s administration and would, therefore, not support his re-election bid in 2027.

Attah said: ‘This claim is not only baseless; it is disrespectful to the genuine sentiments and aspirations of millions of northerners who have benefited from the Renewed Hope Agenda.

‘As the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, I wish to set the record straight: there is no vacancy in Aso Rock Villa in 2027.

‘The insinuation that northerners have ‘closed ranks’ against President Tinubu is a deliberate misrepresentation designed to foment discord, stir regional prejudice, and undermine national cohesion.

‘It is instructive to recall that since May 2023, President Tinubu has pursued an agenda that is demonstrably inclusive, strategic, and geared toward regional balance.’

The minister, who hails from Kano State, noted that, despite inheriting severe security deficits, President Tinubu has engaged vigorously with the hydra-headed challenges of insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, and communal violence, deploying new strategies, reinforcing security frameworks, and working hard to restore confidence.

‘Indeed, northern stakeholders themselves have publicly acknowledged improvements in security and infrastructure under his watch.

‘On the economic front, the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of exchange rates (among other reforms) have unlocked critical fiscal space for state governments and local governments.

‘More resources are now available for development at the grassroots, while autonomy for local government areas ensures that local priorities are addressed promptly.

‘President Tinubu’s tenure has also seen a steady acceleration of infrastructure projects across the North,’ Atah said.

He confirmed that Islamic clerics, religious leaders, traditional rulers, cultural stakeholders, and influential civil society personalities have lent their moral authority and backing to President Tinubu’s candidacy for 2027.

Attah said: ‘To the northern people, I say: do not be swayed by the false rhetoric of failed and retired politicians whose only agenda is to reclaim access to the public purse.

‘Their smear campaign is a smoke screen for their irrelevance and opportunism. Instead, weigh the record: the inclusion you see, the projects you see, and the benefit you feel.’

Troops of the Nigerian Army have arrested a suspected ISWAP/JAS terrorists’ logistics and intelligence courier.

The suspect was arrested on Wednesday by operatives of the 196 Amphibious Battalion in Baga, Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.

He was alleged to have attempted to infiltrate Baga when he was caught.

According to a statement on Friday by the army, preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect, who served as a logistics and intelligence courier between terrorist enclaves in Chad and the Niger Republic, had posed as a surrendering fighter to gather information on troop movements. He has been handed over to 403 Amphibious Brigade for further investigation, the statement signed by spokeswoman, Lt.-Col. Appolonia Anele revealed.

On successes recorded across the country, the army said troops of 2Brigade in collaboration with officers of the Department of State Services (DSS), arrested a kidnap kingpin, Emmanuel Akpan, during a raid of a hideout in Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

Akpan allegedly terrorised residents along the Oron/Ibaka axis before his arrest. The army said he was being held by the DSS for further investigation.

In Kaduna State, troops of 4 Demonstration Battalion intercepted two suspects at a snap checkpoint along the Lere-Saminaka-Kaduna Road in Sabon Birni Local Government Area. The suspects were found with 1,307 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, four mobile phones, and ?27,000 cash. Investigations indicated that the ammunition was being transported from Barakin Ladi, Plateau State, to Zamfara State.

Meanwhile, three ISWAP/JAS terrorists, including a female, voluntarily surrendered to troops of 68 Battalion at Bosso, Niger State. The trio, who cited intense military pressure and hardship within terrorist camps around the Tumbun Marcobina axis, have been profiled for further debriefing.

In another encounter, troops of 222 Battalion at Bazamri Village, Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State, engaged terrorists in a firefight, forcing them to flee. During subsequent operations, soldiers recovered two RPG bombs and a belt containing 150 rounds of 7.62x54mm ammunition.

Across other regions, troops intensified anti-crime and anti-oil theft operations, leading to multiple arrests, recovery of illegal arms, and dismantling of unlawful refining sites in Rivers, Delta, Imo, Ebonyi, and Plateau States.

Over 6,650 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), several boats, vehicles, and refining equipment were seized or destroyed in line with established directives.

Anele said the Nigerian Army reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding law-abiding citizens, protecting communities, and creating a secure environment for sustainable economic growth.

Managing Director, Bank of Industry (BOI), Dr. Olasupo Olusi has called on government, businesses, and citizens to align efforts towards building a resilient and competitive industrial base, by ensuring a deliberate and coordinated actions to unlock Africa’s full industrial potential, noting that the continent possess both the talent and resources to achieve rapid and sustainable industrial growth.

Olusi spoke while delivering a lecture at the inauguration of Course 34 of the National Defence College in Abuja, with the theme, ‘Optimising capacity for industrialisation and socio-economic development in Africa,’ stating that Africa’s industrial journey was not a matter of chance, but of deliberate choice.

The MD outlined a five-point pathway to industrial transformation anchored on infrastructure and energy reforms, access to affordable long-term finance, investment in human capital, regional value-chain integration, and strong institutional coordination.

According to him, ‘Industrialisation is not a miracle, it is a method, Progress is cumulative, not spontaneous. If we execute with patience, precision, and persistence, Africa can move from a continent that consumes to one that produces and protects itself, the current method is a defining moment for the continent, global disruptions, such as the green transition, new technologies, and shifts in global trade-offer Africa an opportunity to re-imagine its economic model around self-reliance and innovation.

‘Despite challenges such as inadequate infrastructure and energy deficits, the same barriers could become springboards for transformation if addressed strategically. The International Energy Agency estimates that Africa would need about $25 billion annually until 2030 to achieve universal electricity access-a goal that would significantly boost productivity and reduce industrial costs.

‘While high interest rates and limited credit continue to constrain manufacturers, development finance institutions (DFIs) like the Bank of Industry remain crucial in providing patient capital for strategic sectors such as manufacturing, renewable energy, and technology. BOI continues to raise capital through debt instruments, syndicated loans, and green financing to support productive enterprises, the aim is to make every dollar of public capital count-driving impact, sustainability, and profitability.

Olusi concluded with a call to action, urging Africa’s leaders to transform vision into execution, stating that, Industrialisation demands discipline, collaboration, and clarity of purpose, If we begin today, within five years we can export at scale and within a generation we can achieve true economic sovereignty.

The Niger Delta Youth Movement (NDYM) has applauded President Bola Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, for their roles in restoring democratic governance in Rivers State.

In a statement signed by its national president, Comrade Ekene Frank, and issued in Uyo on Friday, the group also cautioned youths, elders, and stakeholders in Rivers State against inflammatory statements or actions capable of plunging the state back into political crisis.

According to NDYM, Rivers State – being the central point of the Niger Delta – must remain peaceful for stability and progress to resonate across the region.

‘The Niger Delta Youth Movement, as the umbrella youth organization in the region, is delighted that full democratic governance has resumed in Rivers state,’ the statement read.

The group commended President Tinubu for his leadership in restoring peace, the Akpabio-led National Assembly for its support, and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and other stakeholders for their sacrifices toward reconciliation and harmony in the state.

It further noted that normalcy has returned, with the local government system functioning again, Governor Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu, back in office, and the Rivers State House of Assembly under Speaker Martins Amaewhule resuming legislative duties.

NDYM urged both Wike and Fubara to refrain from actions or utterances that could reignite tension, while calling on their supporters and Rivers youths to maintain peace and view themselves as future leaders.

The Federal Government has launched the National Digital Trustmark for online companies.

The initiative is in collaboration with key government institutions, like the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

The trustmark is expected to curb online fraud, identity theft, scamming and forgery, as well as ensure trust, competitiveness, integrity, and confidence in Nigeria’s online and digital business platforms.

The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Malam Kashifu Inuwa, announced this while addressing reporters yesterday in Abuja.

Inuwa said the establishment of the National Digital Trustmark had become imperative due to the concerns being generated globally over online and e-commerce business activities with Nigerians and in Nigeria.

The NITDA boss said it was saddening for Nigerians to be classified as scammers and fraudsters, especially in how online businesses are conducted.

He said there were times citizens made payments for goods online and were blocked thereafter, or in cases where citizens purchased goods or services online and were not delivered according to specifications.

Inuwa said the National Digital Trustmark is being facilitated by the German International Cooperation Agency (GIZ) and the National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (NACIMMA) to handle the challenges in the sector.

He explained that it would come in the form of a security seal granted by NITDA for certification and authentication of online or digital business outfits.

A security seal, Inuwa explained, would be embossed on the platforms, letterheads and pages for authentication and identification as true registered companies or entities operating in Nigeria with at least one known office.

He announced that the initiative, though not compulsory, would come with charges depending on the size of the business entities and their areas of specialisations, while the portal would be open next for outfits to commence registration.

Inuwa told the media briefing, which was attended by the president of NACIMMA, Tijani Ibrahim, and a representative of GIZ, Chinedu, that the renewal of the Trustmark digital certification would be done yearly to ensure transparency and accountability of the process.

The NITDA boss said both the public and private sectors with online businesses would be eligible for the security seal.

He added that the initiative would eliminate fraud, scams, and illicit transactions in the Nigerian digital space.

Inuwa regretted that online fraud has given Nigeria a bad name on the global stage, stressing that this happened even when it had been established that some foreign nationals were behind some of the fraud.

NACCIMA President Ibrahim, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Digital Economy Trade Group, Mr. Suleiman A. Audu, said the production of the seal marked a major step towards building a safer, more trusted, and globally competitive digital economy for Nigeria.

He said NACIMMA, in collaboration with other stakeholders, especially SMEDAN, NAFDAC, SON, among others, would ensure seamless implementation of the policy without bureaucratic bottlenecks and other impediments.

Chinedu said the seal was being used in Rwanda and other countries to curb cyber fraud, identity theft and mismanagement of companies’ data and other information.

Nigeria’s Opposition Lawmakers Coalition has expressed support for the appointment of Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, as the new chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), describing him as a seasoned professional capable of strengthening the nation’s electoral system.

The National Council of State on Thursday approved the nomination of Prof. Amupitan, who currently serves as Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Jos, to succeed Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who stepped down earlier in the week.

Spokesperson of the Opposition Lawmakers, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, said the group believes in Amupitan’s competence and integrity, urging him not to disappoint Nigerians but to put the national interest above political considerations.

Ugochinyere further called on the incoming INEC Chairman to leverage his vast legal and administrative experience to initiate far-reaching electoral reforms once confirmed and sworn in.

He described the appointment as a unique opportunity for Amupitan to ‘write his name in gold’ by restoring public trust and credibility in Nigeria’s electoral process.

The statement read in part, ‘For us as opposition coalition lawmakers, we welcome the appointment made by the President, appointing Amupitan as the new INEC Chairman, because looking at his background in terms of academic excellence, he comes highly recommended. He can’t fail; he has been a lecturer and a lawyer

‘We have an INEC chairman who knows the difficulty in proving an election petition, knows the loopholes, etc. He has taught it in the classroom and practiced it in the field, and now he’s going to execute it. He has no reason to fail. He has all the professional qualifications required to administer a successful INEC.

‘We don’t have any history of his bad deed; if we did, we would have been among those who would say no to this appointment. We need to judge the man by his past standards, and those past standards are in his professional record.

‘Let us allow him to transition into the position, then we start watching his efforts, decisions as the day goes by. The election coming up in Anambra will be a test case of his capacity to handle INEC. Osun too.

‘We believe he has reason to succeed, and we also believe he has no reason to fail because he has the professional capacity. Those things he has experienced in the field, he now has the capacity to adjust those loopholes that are unending. So we welcome his appointment and support him as long as he continues to administer INEC in compliance with the provisions of the law.’

A former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Bimbo Daramola, has unveiled a Special Health Scheme aimed at supporting the administration of Ekiti Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, through his flagship health and fitness programme, the BAOWALK Initiative.

Daramola, who represented Ekiti North Federal Constituency I, launched the initiative in Ado-Ekiti, where hundreds of BAOWALK ambassadors drawn from the 16 local government areas of the state were inaugurated.

The ambassadors were presented with Health and Fitness Cards that will grant them and their referrals access to a range of medical and wellness benefits under the new scheme.

Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, Barrister Sola Eleshin, commended Daramola for what he described as a timely and people-oriented intervention that complements Governor Oyebanji’s ongoing efforts in the health sector.

Eleshin said the initiative was crucial in ensuring that Ekiti residents enjoy the dividends of democracy in good health, stressing that a healthy population is essential to appreciating government programmes and policies.

‘If we say we are in government and our people are not healthy, they will not even appreciate what we are doing as a party or as a government.’That is why we give kudos to Honourable Bimbo Daramola for doing a human-centered job. By promoting fitness and healthy living, he is helping our people to live well and contribute meaningfully to society.’

Eleshin urged the newly inaugurated ambassadors to take ownership of the project within their respective wards and communities, adding that the health initiative will help to reduce residents’ medical expenses and improve overall wellbeing.

Daramola said that the Special Health Scheme was conceived to strengthen the sustainability of the BAOWALK Health Initiative, which has already reached eight local government areas across the state.

He explained that the introduction of ambassadors was part of a structured framework designed to ensure that the programme continues to thrive even in his absence.

‘A lot of people asked what happens after we leave a local government area. Governor Oyebanji also raised similar concerns, and we felt it was necessary to create a system that will make the BAOWALK Initiative sustainable.

‘That’s why we’re unveiling this network of ambassadors, people who will go back to their communities and continue to promote healthy lifestyles as local champions of the movement,’ he added.

The APC chieftain noted that the newly introduced Health and Fitness Card provides registered participants with opportunities such as access to medical support, health advice, and other benefits for managing chronic ailments.

‘The health and fitness card aggregates several opportunities for those who are committed to the BAOWALK cause,’ Daramola added. But access to these benefits comes through participation – you have to be a BAOWALKER to enjoy them. It’s about taking responsibility for your own health and being part of a community that values wellness,’ he added.